Tree-lighting electric cord set



Jam 24, mm E. MORENO 2,495,639

- TREE-LIGHTING ELECTRIC CORD S ET Filed May 11, 1948 atented Jan. 24, 1950 so STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to improvements in electrical tree-lighting cord sets. More particularly it relates to multiple-lamp electric cord sets which are suitable for use in decorating Christmas trees and the like, the invention providing a novel and attractive structural support for the individual lamps on the conductor cord, utilizing the conductor cord itself to form relatively stable frame structures within each of which a lamp is generally centrally disposed.

It is among the objects of the invention to-provide a tree-lighting electrical cord set whose individual lamps each issupported within a framing structural loop of the conductor cord with the axis of the lamp and its socket generally in the plane of the loop.

Another object is to employ lamp sockets of a known type which have means at the base of each socket for clamping the-sockets to side by side conductors which are continuous from one end to the other of the cord, with contact means at each clamp for piercing the insulation and making electrical connection with the interior conductor wires, thereby to connect the lamps in parallel along the cord, each said clamping of a socket to the cord eonductor's'being preceded by forming the cord into loops at intervals along the cord, and each socket is clamped on a different loop with the socket projecting within and generally in the plane of its framing loop.

Still another object is to provide a tree-lighting electrical cord set having each lamp framed by and supported on a different loop of the cord, and wherein each loop of the cord is secured in its loop formation by means engaging the cord conductors at that portion of the loop which is generally opposite the location at which the lamp is mounted.

' It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve the structure and effectiveness of tree-lighting cord sets.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a tree-lighting electrical cord set embodying features of the invention, portions of the cord being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of one of the framed lamps of Fig. 1, on a larger scale, and including a dotted representation of bead elements which may be employed to maintain the knot of the loop against slipping;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the conductor-clamping base portions of one of the sockets, shown separated and on a larger scale, and viewing the socket at right angles to its position of Fig. 2;

4 Claims. (01. 315-485) $2 Fig. '4 is a view generally similar to Fig. 2 but Showing a modified for-m of'loop securing means; and

Fig. '5 is a view generally similar to Figs. 2 and 4 but illustrating still another 'form of 'loopsecuring means.

Referring to thedrawing, the tree-di'ghting cord set of Fig, -1 may have a conventional male terminal plug 10 at one end and a conventional female terminal socket "12 at the other end although, obviously, both terminal elements may be the same, if desired.

As herein represented, two insulated condoctors 14, 16 leach has continuous extent from one terminal element to the other, and a desired number "of sockets ill, of a known type, are

clamped to the conductors l4, H5 at suitable intervals along the cord, each socket having the bottom end of its body grooved as at 20 in Fig. 3 and a contact. prong 22 projects into each groove 20 for piercing the insulation of a conductor M or 16 when these'conductors are pressed into the respective grooves. The socket body has .acentral threaded hole 24 for reception of the central screw 26 on a base cap 28 when the base cap is screwedon the "socket body to clamp the conalong the cord where a socket is to 'be mounted.

In the form of the invention illustrated in .Figs. 1 and 2, each loop 30 is formed and secured by tying asquare knot at 32. Preferably each loop 30 will be formed 0f a size to'constitute a generally circular {frame around a lamp 34 in a socket l8, with the lamp generally centrally disposed within the frame. Obviously, the size of the loops may be varied, and the shape of the loops may be varied.

After the loops 30 have been formed at the desired intervals along the cord, a socket I8 is clamped in place projecting inward of each loop, preferably at a location on each loop generally opposite the knot 32.

The looping of the conductors I 4, l6 provides a relatively stable structural frame-support for each socket and lamp, and the clamping of each socket base to the side-by-side conductors Where they extend through the parallel grooves 20, provides a relatively stable mounting for the socket with its axis tending to remain generally in the plane of its framing loop. The clamping of the conductors at one side of each loop and the tying of them together at the opposite side provides a structurally relatively stiff framing loop which tends to retain its shape under the ordinary stresses of handling and service. The cord may be arranged on a tree with all of the lamps standing generally upright, or the lamps may be variously projected as may be desired.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification in which a bead element 36 secures the loop formation of each loop 30. In this case, the conductors l4, 16 are passed through the bead element 36, extending around the loop and then passing again through element 36, and on to the next loop. The bead element 36 frictionally grips the conductors to hold the loop formation, but the conductors may be forcibly pulled through the bead in case it may be desired to increase or diminish the size of a loop.

In Fig. 5 the loop formation is maintained in a manner generally similar to the Fig. 4 form but, instead of the bead element 36 through which the conductors must be threaded, a clamp or cleat 38 is applied around the conductors at their region of crossing. The clamp or cleat 38 may be of a nature to resiliently snap over the conductors, or may be of a nature to be bent around the conductors. In any case, however, the conductors should be restrained against free relative slippage.

In the knotted form of Figs. 1 and 2, bead elements 36', similar to the bead 36 of Fig. 4, may be employed on opposite sides of the knot 32, to avoid slipping of the knot. The beads 36, 36 may be brightly colored to lend attractiveness and character to a set, and may be of contrasting or differing colors at different locations along a cord.

I claim as my invention:

1. A tree-lighting electrical cord set comprising a conductor cord having at least two insulated flexible electrical conductors, a terminal connector element at each end of the cord, said cord being formed into a plurality of loops spaced at intervals along the cord, means at each said loop for maintaining its loop formation, a socket mounted on eachloop and projecting within the loop with its axis generally in-the plane of the loop, each said socket being electrically connected to said electrical conductors, and a lamp in each socket and framed by a said loop of the cord.

2. A tree-lighting electrical cord set comprising a conductor cord having insulated flexible electrical conductors extending generally in side by side relation, with each conductor having continuous extent from one end to the other of the cord, said conductors, at spaced locations along the cord, being formed'into loops, and each loop being formed by having portions of said conductors extending in side by side relation around the loop from a juncture location and back to said juncture location whence the conductors extend to a next adjacent loop location, means at each said juncture location maintaining each loop formation, a socket mounted on the side by side conductors of each loop generally opposite the said juncture location of the loop, each said socket being electrically connected to the conductors and projecting into the space defined by the loop, and a lamp in each said socket and framed by the the said looped conductors.

3. A tree-lighting electrical cord set comprising a. conductor cord having insulated flexible electrical conductors extending generally in side by side relation, with each conductor having continuous extent from one end to the other of the cord, a plurality of lamp sockets clamped to the side by side conductors at spaced locations along the cord with the axis of each socket generally perpendicular to the clamped portions of the conductors, portions of said conductors extending at opposite sides of each socket being brought together to form a loop-frame around each socket, means securing together said portions of the conductors which are brought together in forming each said loop-frame, and a lamp in each said socket within each loop-frame.

4. A tree-lighting electrical cord set comprising a conductor cord having insulated flexible electrical conductors extending generally in side by side relation, with each conductor having continuous extent from one end to the other of the cord, a multiplicity of lamp sockets mounted on said side by side conductors at spaced locations along the cord, each said socket being disposed generally perpendicular to the clamped portions of the conductors and all of said sockets being electrically connected in parallel, there being portions of said conductors at opposite sides of each socket which are arched around the socket and brought together at a juncture location to form a loop-frame around each socket, means securing together said brought together portions of the conductors, and a lamp in each socket generally centrally disposed within each loop-frame.

ERNEST MORENO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,849,846 McNeil Mar. 15, 1932 1,928,605 Propp Sept. 26, 1933 1,976,492 Greene Oct. 9, 1934 1,997,716 Brooks et a1 Apr. 16, 1935 

